raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第15部分

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　I　sat　there　and　puffed　my　pipe　and　listened　to　the　clacking　typewriter　behind　the　wall　of　my　office　and　the　bong…bong　of　the　traffic　lights　changing　on　Hollywood　Boulevard　and　spring　rustling　in　the　air；　like　a　paper　bag　blowing　along　a　concrete　sidewalk。
　They　were　pretty　big　cigarettes；　but　a　lot　of　Russians　are；　and　marihuana　is　a　coarse　leaf。　Indian　hemp。　American　hasheesh。　Evidence。　God；　what　hats　the　women　wear。　My　head　ached。　Nuts。
　I　got　my　penknife　out　and　opened　the　small　sharp　blade；　the　one　I　didn't　clean　my　pipe　with；　and　reached　for　one　of　them。　That's　what　a　police　chemist　would　do。　Slit　one　down　the　middle　and　examine　the　stuff　under　a　microscope；　to　start　with。　There　might　just　happen　to　be　something　unusual　about　it。　Not　very　likely；　but　what　the　hell；　he　was　paid　by　the　month。
　I　slit　one　down　the　middle。　The　mouthpiece　part　was　pretty　tough　to　slit。　Okey；　I　was　a　tough　guy。　I　slit　it　anyway。　See　if　can　you　stop　me。
　Out　of　the　mouthpiece　shiny　segments　of　rolled　thin　cardboard　partly　straightened　themselves　and　had　printing　on　them。　I　sat　up　straight　and　pawed　for　them。　I　tried　to　spread　them　out　on　the　desk　in　order；　but　they　slid　around　on　the　desk。　I　grabbed　another　of　the　cigarettes　and　squinted　inside　the　mouthpiece。　Then　I　went　to　work　with　the　blade　of　the　pocket　knife　in　a　different　way。　I　pinched　the　cigarette　down　to　the　place　where　the　mouthpiece　began。　The　paper　was　thin　all　the　way；　you　could　feel　the　grain　of　what　was　underneath。　So　I　cut　the　mouthpiece　off　carefully　and　then　still　more　carefully　cut　through　the　mouthpiece　longways；　but　only　just　enough。　It　opened　out　and　there　was　another　card　underneath；　rolled　up；　not　touched　this　time。
　I　spread　it　out　fondly。　It　was　a　man's　calling　card。　Thin　pale　ivory；　just　off　white。　Engraved　on　that　were　delicately　shaded　words。　In　the　lower　left　hand　corner　a　Stillwood　Heights　telephone　number。　In　the　lower　right　hand　corner　the　legend；　〃By　Appointment　Only。〃　In　the　middle；　a　little　larger；　but　still　discreet：　〃Jules　Amthor。〃　Below；　a　little　smaller：　〃Psychic　Consultant。〃
　I　took　hold　of　the　third　cigarette。　This　time；　with　a　lot　of　difficulty。　I　teased　the　card　out　without　cutting　anything。　It　was　the　same。　I　put　it　back　where　it　had　been。
　I　looked　at　my　watch；　put　my　pipe　in　an　ashtray；　and　then　had　to　look　at　my　watch　again　to　see　what　time　it　was。　I　rolled　the　two　cut　cigarettes　and　the　cut　card　in　part　of　the　tissue　paper；　the　one　that　was　plete　with　card　inside　in　another　part　of　the　tissue　paper　and　locked　both　little　packages　away　in　my　desk。
　I　sat　looking　at　the　card。　Jules　Amthor；　Psychic　Consultant；　By　Appointment　Only；　Stillwood　Heights　phone　number；　no　address。　Three　like　that　rolled　inside　three　sticks　of　tea；　in　a　Chinese　or　Japanese　silk　cigarette　case　with　an　imitation　tortoise…shell　frame；　a　trade　article　that　might　have　cost　thirty…five　to　seventy…five　cents　in　any　Oriental　store；　Hooey　Phooey　Sing…Long　Sing　Tung；　that　kind　of　place；　where　a　nice…mannered　Jap　hisses　at　you；　laughing　heartily　when　you　say　that　the　Moon　of　Arabia　incense　smells　like　the　girls　in　Frisco　Sadie's　back　parlor。
　And　all　this　in　the　pocket　of　a　man　who　was　very　dead；　and　who　had　another　and　genuinely　expensive　cigarette　case　containing　cigarettes　which　he　actually　smoked。
　He　must　have　forgotten　it。　It　didn't　make　sense。　Perhaps　it　hadn't　belonged　to　him　at　all。　Perhaps　he　had　picked　it　up　in　a　hotel　lobby。　Forgotten　he　had　it　on　him。　Forgotten　to　turn　it　in。　Jules　Amthor；　Psychic　Consultant。
　The　phone　rang　and　I　answered　it　absently。　The　voice　had　the　cool　hardness　of　a　cop　who　thinks　he　is　good。　It　was　Randall。　He　didn't　bark。　He　was　the　icy　type。
　〃So　you　didn't　know　who　that　girl　was　last　night？　And　she　picked　you　up　on　the　boulevard　and　you　walked　over　to　there。　Nice　lying；　Marlowe。〃
　〃Maybe　you　have　a　daughter　and　you　wouldn't　like　newscameramen　jumping　out　of　bushes　and　popping　flashbulbs　in　her　face。〃
〃You　lied　to　me。〃
〃It　was　a　pleasure。〃
　He　was　silent　a　moment；　as　if　deciding　something。　〃We'll　let　that　pass；〃　he　said。　〃I've　seen　her。　She　came　in　and　told　me　her　story。　She's　the　daughter　of　a　man　I　knew　and　respected；　as　it　happens。〃
　〃She　told　you；〃　I　said；　〃and　you　told　her。〃
　〃I　told　her　a　little；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃For　a　reason。　I'm　calling　you　for　the　same　reason。　This　investigation　is　going　to　be　undercover。　We　have　a　chance　to　break　this　jewel　gang　and　we're　going　to　do　it。〃
　〃Oh；　it's　a　gang　murder　this　morning。　Okey。〃
　〃By　the　way；　that　was　marihuana　dust　in　that　funny　cigarette　case…the　one　with　the　dragons　on　it。　Sure　you　didn't　see　him　smoke　one　out　of　it？〃
　〃Quite　sure。　In　my　presence　he　smoked　only　the　others。　But　he　wasn't　in　my　presence　all　the　time。〃
　〃I　see。　Well；　that's　all。　Remember　what　I　told　you　last　night。　Don't　try　getting　ideas　about　this　case。　All　we　want　from　you　is　silence。　Otherwise…〃
　He　paused。　I　yawned　into　the　mouthpiece。
　〃I　heard　that；〃　he　snapped。　〃Perhaps　you　think　I'm　not　in　a　position　to　make　that　stick。　I　am。　One　false　move　out　of　you　and　you'll　be　locked　up　as　a　material　witness。〃
〃You　mean　the　papers　are　not　to　get　the　case？〃
〃They'll　get　the　murder…but　they　won't　know　what's　behind　it。〃
〃Neither　do　you；〃　I　said。
〃I've　warned　you　twice　now；〃　be　said。　〃The　third　time　is　out。〃
〃You're　doing　a　lot　of　talking；〃　I　said；　〃for　a　guy　that　holds　cards。〃
I　got　the　phone　hung　in　my　face　for　that。　Okey；　the　hell　with　him；　let　him　work　at　it。
　I　walked　around　the　office　a　little　to　cool　off；　bought　myself　a　short　drink；　looked　at　my　watch　again　and　didn't　see　what　time　it　was；　and　sat　down　at　the　desk　once　more。
　Jules　Amthor；　Psychic　Consultant。　Consultations　by　Appointment　Only。　Give　him　enough　time　and　pay　him　enough　money　and　he'll　cure　anything　from　a　jaded　husband　to　a　grasshopper　plague。　He　would　be　an　expert　in　frustrated　love　affairs；　women　who　slept　alone　and　didn't　like　it；　wandering　boys　and　girls　who　didn't　write　home；　sell　the　property　now　or　hold　it　for　another　year；　will　this　part　hurt　me　with　my　public　or　make　me　seem　more　versatile？　Men　would　sneak　in　on　him　too；　big　strong　guys　that　roared　like　lions　around　their　offices　and　were　all　cold　mush　under　their　vests。　But　mostly　it　would　be　women；　fat　women　that　panted　and　thin　women　that　burned；　old　women　that　dreamed　and　young　women　that　thought　they　might　have　Electra　plexes；　women　of　all　sizes；　shapes　and　ages；　but　with　one　thing　in　mon…money；　No　Thursdays　at　the　County　Hospital　for　Mr。　Jules　Amthor。　Cash　on　the　line　for　him。　Rich　bitches　who　had　to　be　dunned　for　their　milk　bills　would　pay　him　right　now。
　A　fakeloo　artist；　a　hoopla　spreader；　and　a　lad　who　had　his　card　rolled　up　inside　sticks　of　tea；　found　on　a　dead　man。
　This　was　going　to　be　good。　I　reached　for　the　phone　and　asked　the　0…operator　for　the　Stillwood　Heights　number。
　
　15
A　woman's　voice　answered；　a　dry；　husky…sounding　foreign　voice：　〃'Allo。〃
〃May　I　talk　to　Mr。　Amthor？〃
　〃Ah　no。　I　regret。　I　am　ver…ry　sor…ry。　Amthor　never　speaks　upon　the　telephone。　I　am　hees　secretary。　Weel　I　take　the　message？〃
　〃What's　the　address　out　there？　I　want　to　see　him。〃
　〃Ah；　you　weesh　to　consult　Amthor　professionally？　He　weel　be　ver…ry　pleased。　But　he　ees　ver…ry　beesy。　When　you　weesh　to　see　him？〃
〃Right　away。　Sometime　today。〃
〃Ah；〃　the　voice　regretted；　〃that　cannot　be。　The　next　week　per'aps。　I　weel　look　at　the　book。〃
〃Look；〃　I　said；　〃never　mind　the　book　You　'ave　the　pencil？〃
〃But　certainly　I　'ave　the　pencil。　I…〃
　〃Take　this　down。　My　name　is　Philip　Marlowe。　My　address　is　615　Cahuenga　Building；　Hollywood。　That's　on　Hollywood　Boulevard　near　Ivar。　My　phone　number　is　Glenview　7537。〃　I　spelled　the　hard　ones　and　waited。
　〃Yes；　Meester　Marlowe。　I　'ave　that。〃
　〃I　want　to　see　Mr。　Amthor　about　a　man　named　Marriott。〃　I　spelled　that　too。　〃it　is　very　urgent。　it　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　I　want　to　see　him　fast。　F…a…s…t…fast。　Sudden；　in　other　words。　Am　I　clear？〃
　〃You　talk　ver…ry　strange；〃　the　foreign　voice　said。
　〃No。〃　I　took　hold　of　the　phone　standard　and　shook　it。　〃I　feel　fine。　I　always　talk　like　that。　This　is　a　very　queer　business。　Mr。　Amthor　will　positively　want　to　see　me。　I'm　a　private　detective。　But　I　don't　want　to　go　to　the　police　until　I've　seen　him。〃
　〃Ah；〃　the　voice　got　as　cool　as　a　cafeteria　dinner。　〃You　are　of　the　police；　no。〃
　〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃I　am　of　the　police；　no。　I　am　a　private　detective。　Confidential。　But　it　is　very　urgent　just　the　same。　You　call　me　back；　no？　You　'ave　the　telephone　number；　yes？〃
〃Si。　I　'ave　the　telephone　number。　Meester　Marriott…he　ees　sick。〃
〃Well；　he's　not　up　and　around；〃　I　said。　〃So　you　know　him？〃
　〃But　no。　You　say　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　Amthor　he　cure　many　people…〃
　〃This　is　one　time　he　flops；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　be　waiting　for　a　call。〃
　I　hung　up　and　lunged　for　the　office　bottle。　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　through　a　meat　grinder。　Ten　minutes　passed。　The　phone　rang。　The　voice　said：
〃Amthor　he　weel　see　you　at　six　o'clock。〃
〃That's　fine。　What's　the　address？〃
〃He　weel　send　a　car。〃
〃I　have　a　car　of　my　own。　Just　give　me…〃
〃He　weel　send　a　car；〃　the　voice　said　coldly；　and　the　phone　clicked　in　my　ear。
　I　looked　at　my　watch　once　more。　It　was　more　than　time　for　lunch。　My　stomach　burned　from　the　last　drink。　I　wasn't　hungry。　I　lit　a　cigarette。　It　tasted　like　a　plumber's　handkerchief。　I　nodded　across　the　office　at　Mr。　Rembrandt；　then　I　reached　for　my　hat　and　went　out。　I　was　halfway　to　the　elevator　before　the　thought　hit　me。　It　hit　me　without　any　reason　or　sense；　like　a　dropped　brick。　I　stopped　and　leaned　against　the　marbled　wall　and　pushed　my　hat　around　on　my　head　and　suddenly　I　laughed。
　A　girl　passing　me　on　the　way　from　the　elevators　back　to　her　work　turned　and　gave　me　one　of　those　looks　which　are　supposed　to　make　your　spine　feel　like　a　run　in　a　stocking。　I　waved　my　hand　at　her　and　went　back　to　my　office　and　grabbed　the　phone。　I　called　up　a　man　I　knew　who　worked　on　the　Lot　Books　of　a　title　pany。
〃Can　you　find　a　property　by　the　address　alone？〃　I　asked　him。
〃Sure。　We　have　a　cross　index。　What　is　it？〃
〃1644　West　54th　Place。　I'd　like　to　know　a　little　something　about　the　condition　of　the　title。〃
〃I'd　better　call　you　back。　What's　that　number？〃
He　called　back　in　about　three　minutes。
　〃Get　your　pencil　ou